


All That's Left

by Cantatrice18



Category: Penny Dreadful (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 11:07:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3065615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What Malcolm and Vanessa each thought as they embraced.</p><p>Spoilers for 1x08</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That's Left

He did not know how long they stood in that embrace, nor did he care. It had been so long since he’d embraced anyone at all, and he relished the warmth of another being in his arms. The sweet smell of her hair made his thoughts turn to Mina, but he quickly forced the thoughts away. This was not his golden-haired angel that he held, but another girl, dark as a raven. She had none of Mina’s softness; the sharp jut of her shoulder blades as he ran his hand across her back was proof enough of that, as was the angular nature of her arms as they wrapped about him. In place of sweetness she had strength, resilience instead of innocence. But she was his daughter nonetheless, and she was all he had left. 

…

She was not used to it, the comfort. She was not used to providing another with strength, not was she accustomed to drawing strength from someone who so recently had reviled her. Still, as she rested her head on his shoulder she found that her muscles slowly began to relax, her body accepting the protection her mind still doubted. As a child she’d considered him her hero; as a woman, she’d seen in him her equal in guilt and power. Now, when their very reason for being together had disappeared, she began to see how she might, with time, learn to call him father. His twisted soul matched hers, and though she wasn’t fool enough to expect forgiveness, she still saw how they could help each other recover from the loss of Mina. She would be the daughter he needed. She had to – he was all she had left.


End file.
